Government/Politics - 315. page

Chinese citizens achieve human rights without confrontation with the State, claimed Luo Haocai, Vice Chairman of the National Political Consultative Congress and Chairman of the China Human Rights Research Society, during a speech given in an International conference in Tokyo on June 16. Luo claimed that China has made significant progress and achievement in the cause of the human rights by consistently fulfilling the objective and principle based on the UN articles “Charter of the United Nations” and “Universal Declaration of Human Rights.” There are still numerous problems and difficulties in the human rights cause in China, Luo admitted.

People’s Daily issued an editorial after the Central Committee of the Chinese Communsit Party held an "extremely important" meeting on June 13 to discuss emerging chanlleges in light of the Sichuan earthquake, economic statbility and the upcoming Olympics. The editorial calls for maintaining adquate balance between earthquake relief work and preparation for the Olympics. The editorial furthers states that the key to success lies in strengthening the Party’s leadership and resolute implementation of the Party’s decisions.

The Communist Youth League of China (CYLC) opened its 16th National Congress in Beijing on Tuesday June 10. Hong Kong Takungpao published a commentary article titled: “Inciting Preaches Only Yields the Opposite Effect; Youth League Seeks to Change its Image”. The article said that as the major source for future Party leaders, the youth league members have been portrayed as purely political figures, while lacking abilities in economic and public affairs management. The recent appointment of Lu Hao as the new head of the Communist Youth League is an indication of change and an effort towards diversification. Moreover, the youth league is trying to focus more on humanitarian support and provide consultation to the younger generation realizing that preaching ideology no longer serves its purposes.

Chinese internet users have formed large scale protests on the internet against London Metropolitan University and called boycotting the university, the Global Times reported. On May 21, London Metropolitan University presented the Dalai Lama with an Honorary Doctorate of Philosophy.

“It is disappointing to see that the London Metropolitan University is actively recruiting college students from China while it openly supports Tibetan independence and disregards the Chinese people’s feelings” said the article, “Boycotting the London Metropolitan University is a reflection of Chinese people’s general consensus.”

The statistics published by England Higher Education Statistic Bureau show that there were a total of 49,595 Chinese students studying in England in 2006/2007, the highest among all overseas students.

The Earthquake in Sichuan has shifted the focus of the world’s media away from Tibet and the Olympics. The outside world may have been misled by a false impression that the Chinese government has opened up its news media, according to the author of this article published in Taiwan News. The authorities had learnt from the past, starting in 1991 during flooding in the central part of China, that opening up the media to report in the event of a natural disaster helps to improve the official image and attract foreign donations especially from overseas Chinese. The authorities have never lost control of the media as demonstrated in the current situation where official media reports have been centered on praising the Party and government leaders.

On May 21, 2008, Study Times, the Journal of the Party School of Communist Party published an article entitled “Objectives of Political System Reform.” The article holds that there are four aspects to such reform: “One, the building of legal system. Two, the reform of power structure and checks and balances. Three, the reform of personnel system. Four, the reform of administration system. The reform of power structure and checks and balances is the key to the political system reform. The main task is to establish checks and balances and to maintain highly transparent exercise of the power to prevent corruption and abuse of power."